The average personal income in Maine rose 5.4% during the first quarter of 2019 — the third-largest gain in the U.S., according to federal data released Tuesday.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis said only West Virginia, at 5.6%, and Arizona, at 5.5%, had higher jumps in personal income during the first three months of the year.
Maine’s jump was also higher than its growth during the last quarter of 2018, when average personal income inched up 1.3%.
Health care and social assistance were the leading contributors to the most recent increase in Maine, according to the bureau.
Vermont and New Hampshire also recorded significant income growth, at 4.5% and 3.8% respectively. Income growth rates in the other New England states were below the national average of 3.4%.
Personal income increased in every state except South Dakota, where the average fell 0.6%.
